Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (Motorola, Verizon, iPhone, battery)

[ThatTNGuy]

I am a current iPhone user (I've got a 4S 64GB), and let me preface everything here by saying that I really only have positive things to say about this phone. It has served me extremely well. So, this topic is not about shunning Apple. Rather, I'm creating this thread because I've been fascinated by the concept of the Note since it was first released. For a lot of people, the size is an immediate deal breaker, but having seen the Note 2 in person a few times, I think I would actually very much appreciate the extra real estate. It's a niche phone, for sure, but I'm the kind of person it attracts.

I almost pulled the trigger the other day and bought one, but for whatever reason I thought I'd do a bit of research and see if I could get some feedback from either Note 2 or recent Samsung phone users. I actually had an original Motorola Droid before switching to my iPhone, so I've had some Android experience and wouldn't be too hesitant to go back.

So, basically, if you have opinions or advice about the Note 2, or just Samsung phones in general, please don't hesitate to share your thoughts here. Some of the questions that come to mind are the following:

-Do you think an iPhone user would be disappointed or underwhelmed?

-Are Samsung phones built well? It seems like some people have complained about a somewhat plasticky build with the Galaxy S3 and Note 2. It's definitely different than the metal/glass aesthetic of the iPhone.

-Do you think all of the nifty features are gimmicky, or are they actually useful? I've heard about the stylus and all of the cool software, but I'm wondering if I will use them to their full potential.

-Are Samsung phones reliable? A good friend of mine has had bad experiences with Samsungs (he currently has a Charge), and he's doing his best to convince me not to buy the Note 2. However, it appears that a lot of people love the Galaxy S3 and Note 2, so I'm wondering if Samsung has upped their game recently.

-Do we know if 32 and 64 GB models will make their way to the US? I see that the Note 2 has an SD card slot, but I'd rather have 32 or 64 GB built in right from the start.

If anybody can help me out or provide some insight, I'd be eternally grateful. As I said before, I do love my iPhone, but I think I may just be looking to change things up. The iPhone 5 is awesome, but it's more or less a series of incremental improvements to what I already have. That makes good business sense, but right now the Note 2 is really catching my eye because it's very unique. If I get good feedback I may have to bring one home in the near future.

My sincerest apologies to those who read this whole post!

[Peregrine]

I just want to comment on the memory and build quality.
Re: Build. The few Samsungs I have seen seem to be well built. And I don't know anyone that has had an issues with them.

Re: Onboard memory. I wouldn't waste the money on a larger one. No way. You pay $199 for a 16GB note and add in a 32GB card for $20 = 48GB. Or you can pay $299 for a 32GB? No reason to do that imo. Just throwing money away.

[TAM88]

The big knock on Samsung has been their use of plastics for constructing their phones. I personally don't have a problem with it, but some people chide them for it. Besides, a lot of people use cases on their phones, so the materials don't matter. As long as they're assembled well, things will be fine.

[Miker2069]

Well I actually just "upgraded" from a Samsung Galaxy S3 (which was nothing short of awesome) to the Notes II. There was absolutely no good reason . Well not true, I *like* the increased screen real estate - A LOT.

I briefly had an iphone 4s but gave it to my daughter. So I technically used all them all. In terms of build quality, I never thought it felt cheap (the S3 or Notes 2). You *may* miss the quality of the iphone 4s camera, that's basically the best on the market. The S3 and Notes 2 are pretty good though. I think any user will be pleased that google maps on Android is far superior than on the iphone (and this isn't to start a flame war - it just is, I'm frustrated when I use the iphone for directions and looking things up from a geography point of view).

Now the reason I went to the Note is that it is a good compromise between having a phone, a 10.1" tablet, and laptop. I do a lot of kindle reading and I like the increased screen real estate. I watch a lot of movies and that looks good to. Adding a 64gb S card (which I could get for around $60 from Amazon) is awesome too. It doesn't feel bulky in my hand, and I hold it with one hand very comfortably (unlike an ipad or an android tablet). Typing text messages, replying to emails, etc. all feel nice and natural and I don't have the "fat finger" effect I had on the S3 or smaller form factors.

So in essence I am very pleased with the Note 2 - I was happy with the S3 but totally thrilled with the upgrade.

[marilyn220]

Originally Posted by Miker2069

Well I actually just "upgraded" from a Samsung Galaxy S3 (which was nothing short of awesome) to the Notes II. There was absolutely no good reason . Well not true, I *like* the increased screen real estate - A LOT.

I briefly had an iphone 4s but gave it to my daughter. So I technically used all them all. In terms of build quality, I never thought it felt cheap (the S3 or Notes 2). You *may* miss the quality of the iphone 4s camera, that's basically the best on the market. The S3 and Notes 2 are pretty good though. I think any user will be pleased that google maps on Android is far superior than on the iphone (and this isn't to start a flame war - it just is, I'm frustrated when I use the iphone for directions and looking things up from a geography point of view).

Now the reason I went to the Note is that it is a good compromise between having a phone, a 10.1" tablet, and laptop. I do a lot of kindle reading and I like the increased screen real estate. I watch a lot of movies and that looks good to. Adding a 64gb S card (which I could get for around $60 from Amazon) is awesome too. It doesn't feel bulky in my hand, and I hold it with one hand very comfortably (unlike an ipad or an android tablet). Typing text messages, replying to emails, etc. all feel nice and natural and I don't have the "fat finger" effect I had on the S3 or smaller form factors.

So in essence I am very pleased with the Note 2 - I was happy with the S3 but totally thrilled with the upgrade.

Thanks for this review. My next phone will either be the Galaxy Note or the Samsung Galaxy 3 (whichever is cheaper). I have an iphone, but I'm not thrilled with it. They have apps now that work like full fledged cameras these days, so I'll be okay.

I also don't care that it was made with plastics. Why I should I have no idea, but it doesn't bother me. I was watching a youtube video where a guy was slamming the samsung screen and it didn't have a scratch. This could never happen with an iphone. If you drop the iphone without a case, you can crack your screen the very first time. It's never happened to me, because I always have a case on it, but I've seen it happen to others who didn't have one.

[DFWgal]

I own a Galaxy Note (1). I was hesitant to get it because I previously owned a Samsung Impression that had several problems after 12 months of use. My husband had the Impression and another Samsung phone before that and same thing: a year after purchase, the phones gave him trouble. I hope that a more expensive model will be better. We'll see.

I love the phone and all you can do with it, especially watching Netflix and reading my e-books comfortably (I love the amount of music and books you can put on the SD card!). It took me a while to get used to its size but I just got a SPIbelt if I'm not using cargo pants or a purse. I've received a lot of hell, especially from Apple users due to the Note's size, they say they would be embarrassed to own it, blah blah. So, if the OP is sensitive to other people's opinions, maybe the Note is not for him/her.

I don't think it feels cheap at all. However, it's delicate. The screen is glass after all. After two days, hubby broke his. Fortunately we had warranty and I quickly ordered a couple of Otterbox Defenders (I dropped mine with the case and the phone was fine).

Maybe this article would be useful too: Galaxy Note 2 problems: What users complain about most | Digital Trends

[Giesela]

I don't have anything to your questions. I've been reading reviews of smartphones, specifically the Note 1 and now the Note 2 because right from the get go I knew the increased screen size of the Note 1 would be with woul finally entice me to get a smartphone/tablet/something. Because what I really really wanted was mobile internet that could make the occasional phone call. (we aren't all near wi-fi all the time)
I still haven't pulled the trigger, mostly because there are no plans that suit me.
But I have to say when the Note first came out almost every tech reviewer (CNET etc) and blogger panned it, and continued to pan it and the Note II, refusing to understand its appeal. They often still only reluctantly give it kudos saying they don't understand its success. So for me its success is just a big rasberry to those guys who were all writing reviews that didn't address anything I wanted to know.

i think what you really need to ask yourself is do you want to leave Apple IOS for Android.....

[Coldjensens]

I am looking at it too. I really like the screen size with the larger keyboard and dialing buttons and larger internet and E-mail viewing. Now I can read e-mail and use the internet without my glasses when I forget them. I tried putting it into every pocket I use and and it fit fine (jacket breast pocket, shirt pocket and pants front pocket) It is wide, but really thin. It has some big plusses to me:

1. Replaceable battery. Not only allows me to carrry a spare, but I do not have to send the phone away if (when) the battery craps out.

2. Google navigation. This is the best system I have found, better then even the car unitls like garmin and tomtom.

3. Removable SD card. I do nto think I need a lot of memory, but i can always increase if needed. Maybe I can get two years out of this phone (if it does not break).


4. Battery life. I am not sure what actual life is but it has a very powerful battery and should last longer than my current phone.

5. Micro USB connection - I do not have to buy all new junk - hooray!

My concerns are whether it will have the problems that seem to plague android phones after 6 month (or maybe 12 months) of use. I am really fed up with replacing my phone constantly.

My other concern is whether it will open and allow me to edit word documents. the windows phones are great for this, however they are built around Bing and Bing is awful. Tomorrow I will send the verizon salesperson an E-mail wiht a word document and see whether the Note II can open and edit it.